Full disk wheels

[John Tolhurst]

Tell me folks,
Do you want us to source and stock full disk 700c wheel pairs for Silvio. What would your target retail price be? If I can make the numbers work we can probably source them.

The reason I am looking is we are preparing a bike for a world record attempt (shhh don't let the word to get out before we do the press release). and this interesting link shows that for any individual attempt, full TT setup is important for getting a world class result. http://www.biketechreview.com/performance/equip_significant.htm

 

[Peder Torgersen]

johntolhurst wrote: Tell me folks,
Do you want us to source and stock full disk 700c wheel pairs for Silvio. What would your target retail price be? If I can make the numbers work we can probably source them.

The reason I am looking is we are preparing a bike for a world record attempt (shhh don't let the word to get out before we do the press release). and this interesting link shows that for any individual attempt, full TT setup is important for getting a world class result. http://www.biketechreview.com/performance/equip_significant.htm

I’m not going to tell anyone this is a very safe place to post this kind of information. :?
Are you going to give us the details after the record is set?

Peder

 

[trapdoor2]

Considering that disk wheels have a very high cool factor...

Nah, I haven't weighed less than 80kg since I was 12 or 13. Most disk wheelsets are just too fragile for somebody like myself to run. I will have to be happy with covers or bladed spokes or something like that.

Zipp disks run $500 and up. Renn disks are even more expensive. If you could beat their pricepoint with a wheel strong enough to bear a typical fat-a$$ American...well, I'm still unlikely to buy a set. Oh, sure, if I was into racing I would do it. At the moment, I race people downhill...only sure bet I've got! :roll:

 

[JonB]

trapdoor2 wrote: Oh, sure, if I was into racing I would do it. At the moment, I race people downhill...only sure bet I've got! :roll:

if you want to win, you've gotta cheat.

 

[Peder Torgersen]

I only have a Sofrider some new customers that want a Silvio may buy one for different reasons.
Some future customers would maybe like to race others might use it for club rides. Some just want a fast ride and get in better shape. Some might want full disc wheels if offered at a good price.
You can try offering them and see if some are interested?
I think personally those wheels look great. I weigh 80 kg.

Peder

 

[jeebus]

I mostly doubt I'd buy a disk wheel for my silvio at this point, but I would like to see a rolldown test to get more data on how big a help they are. If you do such a test please consider equally weighting the two versions of the bike (probably just put an extra half bottle of watter on the non-disk silvio would be my guess).

I ask for that because my interest in a rolldown test is not to answer the question "how much faster can bike-B roll down the hill than bike-A" but rather "how much faster could I be on the flats on bike-B than bike-A because of its greater aerodynamics". For the first question the extra weight would be a legitimate part of the comparison, but for the second question the extra weight on bike-B would be unfairly giving it extra power in the rolldown test.

There are a few areas on the silvio that I think need aerodynamic work. Without a wind tunnel I can't actually be sure of anything, but I suspect the front fork and triangle could be optimized quite a bit. I remember a while back you mentioned a more reclined version was in the works, so that'll be interesting to see. Have you ever considered a lowracer version? I really like the looks of zockrabikes.com's kouign amann:
http://www.zockrabikes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=8
Another thing I like about their bikes is that I've seen reported that it's 15.5 lbs for the front wheel drive and 16.5 lbs for the rear wheel drive version. Of course both of those weights are fantastic, but I like seeing comparably manufactured and equipped fwd beat rwd in weight.. certainly seems like it should be that way.

Mark